


let's make it real

by izzybusiness



Category: South Park
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-08-28 20:26:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8461792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/izzybusiness/pseuds/izzybusiness
Summary: Kyle will never understand the enigma that is Craig Tucker.





	

“No, really, Stan, there’s new data that suggests time travel is possible,” Kyle says, eagerly shoving a book at his best friend, ignoring his bored expression. “Okay, I was up all night researching about this Swiss company that does these experiments—”

“That sounds great, Kyle,” Stan responds absently, face turned to where Wendy is sitting on the opposite side of the library—the only reason he agreed to spend lunchtime in here with Kyle in the first place. 

“Because you sound _so_ interested,” Kyle replies, rolling his eyes. He’s still thrumming with excitement about his latest find, and the need to talk about this with _anyone_ is completely overpowering. Looking around him, his eyes fall on Craig Tucker, who is seated a few chairs down the long table. 

“Craig!” Kyle calls out, and Craig’s head snaps up so fast, Kyle’s surprised he doesn’t give himself whiplash. “You like space, right? I know you do, you still have all those posters on your walls. Anyway, look at this book I found. It talks about the possibility of time travel, isn’t that cool? I always wondered—what?” 

Craig’s watching Kyle with this unfathomable look on his face, and something about it sends shivers running through Kyle’s body. Uncertainly, he asks, “Do I have something on my hat?” 

Almost immediately, Craig seems to snap out of it and returns to his usual self. Without preamble, he shoves the book at Kyle’s chest, knocking the wind out of him. “You are such a geek, Broflovski,” he grumbles, pushing himself to his feet and stalking out of the library.

Kyle's left staring after him, still trying to process what just happened.

—

Kyle gets glasses two months into the school year when he finds himself squinting every time he tries to take down notes. His initial pair are these big black frames that make him look like more of a loser than he already is, and when he first wanders into homeroom wearing them, Cartman laughs for twenty minutes straight and has to be led outside by Butters. 

He’s standing by his locker when Craig passes by him, doing a double take after he takes a good look at Kyle. 

“Out with it,” Kyle snaps irritably. It’s bad enough having to go around pushing them up his nose all the time; he’s not really in the mood for another one of Craig’s barbs. 

“Those make you look like more of a geek than usual,” Craig says bluntly, and he’s staring at Kyle almost intensely, those gray eyes giving nothing away. 

The next day, Kyle comes to school with contacts put in, and Craig shoots him a hateful glare before storming past him into their shared history class. 

Kyle will never understand the enigma that is Craig Tucker.

—

“Here’s the thing.” Clyde slides into the chair in front of Kyle, who looks up from the book he’d been reading in surprise. “Craig is pretty much socially inept. I say this because I love him. He doesn’t give a fuck about social conventions, and frankly, I’m not sure he even knows what they are because God forbid he ascribes to what _society_ dictates—”

“Um,” Kyle cuts in, stopping the torrent of words pouring out of Clyde’s mouth. He senses that there may be something deeper to this than he realizes. “I’m sure Mr. Mackey would be willing to listen if there’s anything you need to get off your chest.” 

Clyde blinks, as if only just noticing where his rant was headed. “No, no, I’m cool.” He takes a deep breath before continuing. “I just—look, do you guys ever have sleepovers where you have those random touchy-feely emotional moments?” 

They do, actually. The last one they had culminated in Cartman admitting he didn’t hate Kyle nearly as much as he pretended to. It was a pivotal moment for their little group. Kenny cried. 

When Kyle nods, Clyde goes on. “Well, basically, the last time I admitted Craig was my best friend, he punched me in the face. That’s just how he treats people he likes. Do you see where I’m going with this?” 

Kyle shakes his head and Clyde blows out a frustrated sigh. “My point is,” he says, “that when Craig likes someone, he tends to hit them. So when he _really_ likes someone…” Clyde’s left eye twitches and Kyle thinks that might have been an attempt at a wink. 

“He…kills them?” Kyle squeaks. 

“Yeah, exactly!” Clyde exclaims, then when horror dawns on Kyle’s face, he slaps himself on the forehead. “No! I mean—Token!” he yells out over his shoulder. “I tried, it’s your turn!” 

“Motherfucker!” Token’s voice shouts back.

—

Kyle’s taking books out of his locker when Craig stalks over to him, looking almost murderous. “Goddammit, Broflovski.” 

Kyle just blinks at him in confusion. “Uh, what did I do?” He tends to stay away from Craig as much as possible, something about his very existence seems to personally offend the guy. 

“I’ve been trying so hard to be nice to you,” Craig goes on, seemingly unaware of Kyle’s presence. 

“Um, what?” Because if insulting Kyle’s new glasses and then glaring at him for losing them is considered nice, Clyde really did have a point about Craig’s lack of propriety. 

Craig lets out a frustrated growl, then Kyle finds himself being kissed rather spectacularly. Craig’s hand is twisted into the fabric of Kyle’s jacket, and his mouth moves expertly over Kyle’s own, kissing him like he’s wanted to do it for so long. 

When they separate, Kyle has to blink away the stars that are dancing in front of him. Before he can get a word in, Craig’s leaning down so that his breath tickles the skin of Kyle’s cheek. It makes him shudder in response. 

“I like the glasses,” he says, lips ghosting along the underside of Kyle’s jaw. “Don’t think I didn’t.”

Kyle laughs, still a little shaken, but mostly turned on. He’s had a boner for Craig Tucker since puberty hit, but then again, so does everyone else. It’s just one of those things. 

“Wow,” he replies, realization slowly dawning on him, “Clyde _was_ right.”

Craig drapes an arm over Kyle’s shoulder and pulls him close. Kyle secretly marvels at the way their bodies seem to press together perfectly. “He usually is when it comes to me,” he drawls. 

Kyle grins up at him, and something in Craig’s expression flickers. Kyle thinks he looks almost _fond_. “You’re not going to kill me now, are you?” 

Craig snorts, then runs a finger down Kyle’s cheek. “If you don’t put those glasses back on, maybe.”

—

The next morning, Kyle walks into South Park High with a pair of glasses on his face, a hickey on his neck, and Craig Tucker on his arm. When they separate before class, Craig presses a kiss to Kyle’s cheek, and in the distance, Clyde wipes a tear from the corner of his eye. 

Maybe Kyle will never completely understand Craig Tucker, but he’s glad that he at least gets the chance to try.


End file.
